What CG should have been from the beginning

I normally don't say too much about animated movies today because...well, I just don't like most of them. My mother always told me "If you don't have anything nice to say...come sit next to me." Oh wait, that doesn't really help my point here...

Okay then, for the record...I like to stay focused on what is GOOD in animation on the blog. Animators are so self critical as it is - (which is a big part of the job) - that I like to keep topics super inspiring and positive.

Well, I saw Ratatouille last night with 3 of my buddies.
Let me just say...

wowsie, wowsie wow!

I am going back on Sunday to see it - and...I don't do that. Sitting in the dark watching movies feels too much like work to me, so I wait until I can do it in the comfort of my own home. If the movie is awful, I can just turn it off and god read a good book instead. But!!! back to the subject at hand!

I am going to do my best to explain why I think this movie is so important to CG animation without giving away any spoilers.

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The storytelling points and character designs took me back to my childhood and to the old school animation of the 70's and 80's (yes, I know I am dating myself, but I don't care). Also, each shot moves with classical lines to follow the action. The cinematography is not gratuitous with the camera moves, just because you can.

There is even a very obvious shot that is homage to Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. Like Where's Waldo - look for it...it's great.

Every single chase scene reminded me of being 8 years old and running downstairs with my sisters and brother to watch Saturday morning cartoons like Tom and Jerry.

Tom and Jerry, 1965

The character design in Ratatouille reminded me of many early Disney films. The design is so strong, clear and appealing. You know EXACTLY who the character is before they ever utter a word. Remi - the rat is just the cutest little rat you ever did see. His animation is some of the best I have ever seen, as well at his apparition Gusteau - the chef. The fluid reversals and line of action on every single pose made me water at the mouth.

More on character design...all of the characters FELT like a drawing. BUT, let me explain. When I first learned how to create a cartoony caricature, I was taught to look at the shape of the head. Some people have really oval long faces, some have a squashed head, some have a large chin making for an eggplant shaped head. Look at this image and tell me if you see the drawings there. Just brilliant character design.

My buddy Roy doesn't work in CG animation. When the character Ego entered screen for the first time, I muttered "Oh My God..." under my breath.

My friend looked at me to see if I was "okay." For the first time, THIS was an evil character that had the chutzpah of the wicked Queen from Snow White. Ego (Peter O'Toole) moved with grace and determination and was truly scary. His hands, both design and animation where mesmerizing. I am in love with Ego. I was blown away.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937

The rafting water scenes screamed influence from the Disney Movie - The Rescurers. I wish I could find more stills on Google of this Disney movie to illustrate the comparisons, but you will see it for yourself. Gorgeous lighting and the CG look almost looked old and gritty like the Disney movies of the 60's and 70's. I never thought this was possible. The lighting, water, effects, everything was just breath taking. All 4 of us were just looking at each other in awe.

The Rescurers, 1977

The female character - Colette - is brilliant. After her first big scene where she draws a "line in the sand" with the lead - Linguini, I looked at one of my buddies and said "I like her!" She is a female working in a predominantly male-driven field and is a very strong female character who isn't looking for a man to save her or define her existence - FINALLY!

Played by Janeane Garofalo, no wonder I like her. One of her funniest and at the same time touching scenes involves a can of pepper spray.


Skinner's lawyer, Talon Labarthe, played by Teddy Newton was straight out of the movie Aristocats and one of my favorite to watch. Unfortunately, I do not have an image of him from the movie, but look at the pic below of Edgar - The Butler, from Aristocats and you will see the influence. Skinner's Lawyer took me straight back to my childhood and to every "butler or upper class type character" you found in Disney movies.

Labarthe was so well animated I wanted to cry. I didn't know CG could move with such subtlety.

Aristocats, 1970

And I know I am (as they say in the movie) "blathering on..." here, but I have to give Skinner's character his props too. Skinner (Sir Ian Holm) has some of the funniest dialog in the movie. Each of us were looking at each other like - what did he just say? and giggling at the same time.

Everyone loves to watch the neurotic guy who just cannot get it right. Ben Stiller has built an entire acting career based on this type of persona. I don't want to give anything away, so I will stop at...this guy is a funny little muther f*$ker.

It felt like to me, the characters in Ratatouille are real people, and we just kind of tripped into their world to see what they were up to. They have real histories and motivations. Nothing felt scripted and the story unfolded where you had no idea what would happen next. The world and characters created for Ratatouille felt like they had been doing their thing before you sat down in the theater and would continue after the you left. I can't wait to find out how things progress for these characters and I really care. Cars didn't leave me with this feeling at all.

I think technology has driven stories in CG for far too long. We started with toys because they are hard and shiny and that was easy to build animate and render. Then, stories were driven to bugs and robots which again have armatures that are hard pieces like toys. Soon, its talking furry animals and monsters as the fur shaders are perfected. Now, moving to underwater stuff because of new technology that can handle caustics, etc. and although I think all types of animation is difficult because you are always solving new problems...animating a floaty underwater motion comes natural on a computer. Then, we have the penguin rage which the construction of a penguin is really a flour sack, and wet fur and fluid water sims are the new challenge. But!!! it was, at least in my mind, the introduction of Brad Bird and The Incredibles that caused people to think outside of the technology for story and push what CG can do. Ratatouille is the evolution of the CG animation medium to finally have story driving the technology, instead of the other way around.

The only critical thing I can say about the Ratatouille story is there really wasn't that big "lump-in-your-throat" moment for me, like I had with the Incredibles. I am not sure if seeing that pre-released 9 minutes of the movie ahead of time is the culprit or not. The one scene in the Incredibles when the mom is talking to Violet outside of the cave and Mom gently brushes Violet's hair behind her ear to console her...that scene actually got me a bit teary. Maybe this is because it was a mother/daughter moment that I identified with?

But, the only moment that had that kind of emotional prodding for me in Ratatouille was when he let Remi out of the jar and the rat ran off. But! he came back...that moment might have been a bit more solid if I had not already watched it over and over again online.

But this is an animation blog - so let's talk about how it all MOVED! The animation was finally!!! a style I had been hoping to see. I think CG animated films had to go from stiff interpretation of what technology would allow us to create to the pendulum swinging wildly out of control to the other end of wacky and insane squash and stretch that became just plain hard to watch. Ratatouille finally brings us back to the use of squash and stretch used specifically where needed and not in a gratuitous way. Squash and Stretch and blur poses are not overly exploited. Since the animators go in and out of the extremes on a single frame or two - you FEEL the weight and timing and heightened entertainment value to it rather than see all the wackiness of the poses themselves. The physical comedy is "off the hook!" and I heard all ages giggling with delight in the theater.

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So, we were pretty hungry when we left the theater. It was 10 pm and we hadn't eaten dinner, but also! everything in the movie makes you want to eat, drink wine and celebrate food! We went straight to one of my favorite bistros - Primitivo - and celebrated with good wine, tapas and laughter. What and awesome Friday night.

The messages that drive the plot of this movie are everything from "anyone can cook" to a critic's role in society to remembering the sweet times from childhood. I loved this movie and cannot wait to see it again tomorrow. The online trailers give you a taste, but nothing compares to viewing these images and the storytelling on the big screen. Go see it now and take your kids, nieces, nephews, mom, dad, friends - tell everyone...Finally, we have come full circle to what animated films should be.